The prosecution have opened their case against two teenage defendants on trial in connection with the fatal shooting of John Pordage.

Mr Pordage, 34, died after being shot in the chest outside the BP garage in Baddow Road, Great Baddow , in the early hours of August 5, 2017.

Armed police and paramedics rushed to the scene but Mr Pordage, from Galleywood, died as a result of his injuries at a nearby hospital shortly afterwards.

Essex Police launched a murder investigation which culminated in two teenage boys, a 16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, and 18-year-old Saul Stanley being arrested and charged.

The 16-year-old who is alleged to have murdered Mr Pordage denies the allegation.

Stanley, who is charged with a number of firearms offences including possession of weapons and ammunition, also denies the allegtations.

Both boys, who have been remanded in custody, were brought before Chelmsford Crown Court for the start of the prosecution case against them this morning (Tuesday, January 16).

Police at the BP garage in Baddow Road

Prosecutor Tracy Ayling QC explained to the jury how another teenager, Bradley Blundell, is believed to be the one who pulled the trigger.

Outlining the facts of the case, she said: “At about ten past two in the morning on Saturday, August 5 last year, at the BP garage in Baddow Road here in Chelmsford, John Pordage, age 34, was shot dead by a man called Bradley Blundell - he was aged 17 at the time.

“Bradley Blundell disappeared on the night of the shooting.

“It is the crown’s case that John Pordage was murdered by Bradley Blundell and the 16-year-old who were involved in a joint attack on John Pordage.”

Ms Ayling explained how Mr Pordage had been out in Chelmsford at the Missoula bar prior to the altercation at the petrol station.

He later met up with his friend, Jamal Samuels, and the pair went to the garage to buy cigarettes and fizzy drinks, with Mr Pordage driving them in his white Peugeot van before parking on the forecourt.

Shortly after a blue Ford Fiesta, also arrived at the garage, the court heard.

The car had five occupants, two young girls who were sat in the driver and front passenger seat, with three teenage boys sat in the back.

CCTV footage revealed these boys to be the two defendants and Blundell.

As the female driver filled her car with petrol and went to the shop’s night service hatch, remarks are said to have been made by either Mr Pordage or his friend, with one of them saying the girl had a “nice bum”.

The court also heard how one of the men told Bradley Blundell that he looked like the “Milkybar kid”.

It is believed Bradley Blundell, who has been missing since the shooting, was described as “The Milkybar Kid” by John Pordage

“So enraged by those remarks were Bradley Blundell and the 16-year-old that they armed themselves, Bradley Blundell with a gun and the other with an extendable-type baton, that they confronted John Pordage and Jamal Samuels and, during that attack, John Pordage sustained a single gunshot would to the chest which resulted in his death,” continued Ms Ayling.

“While the evidence shows the fatal wound was inflicted by Bradley Blundell, it’s the crown’s case that the 16-year-old is guilty of murder in that he was party to the fatal attack on John Pordage and that he intended that John Pordage would suffer at least really serious bodily harm as a result.”

Ms Ayling also explained to the jury that the prosecution did not charge Stanley with murder as there was “no doubt” that he “held back”.

“Saul Stanley was in possession of firearms and ammunition for those firearms and that he was Bradley Blundell’s trusted warehouse,” she added.

The prosecution have also alleged that Blundell, the unnamed defendant and Stanley went on to burn their clothing, mobile phones and dispose of the gun used to shoot Mr Pordage in the hours after his death.

This afternoon, the prosecution will continue to open their case before moving on to the first witnesses’ evidence.